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. 2013 Aug 16;8(8):e71086.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0071086. eCollection 2013.

Bacteriuria amongst pregnant women in the Buea Health District, Cameroon: prevalence, predictors, antibiotic susceptibility patterns and diagnosis

Morike Ngoe Mokube  1 , Julius Atashili, Gregory Edie Halle-Ekane, George M Ikomey, Peter M Ndumbe
Affiliations

Bacteriuria amongst pregnant women in the Buea Health District, Cameroon: prevalence, predictors, antibiotic susceptibility patterns and diagnosis

Morike Ngoe Mokube et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Background: Bacteriuria is associated with significant maternal and foetal risks. However, its prevalence is not known in our community.

Objectives: This study was carried out to determine the prevalence and predictors of bacteriuria in pregnant women of the Buea Health District (BHD) as well as the antibiotic sensitivity patterns of bacterial isolates. It also sought to determine the diagnostic performance of the nitrite and leucocyte esterase tests in detecting bacteriuria in these women.

Methods: An observational analytic cross-sectional study was carried out amongst pregnant women attending selected antenatal care centres in Buea. We recruited 102 consenting pregnant women for the study. Demographic and clinical data were collected using structured questionnaires. Clean catch midstream urine was collected from each participant in sterile leak proof containers. Samples were examined biochemically, microscopically and by culture. Significant bacteriuria was defined as the presence of ≥10⁸ bacteria/L of cultured urine. Identification and susceptibility of isolates was performed using API 20E and ATB UR EU (08) (BioMerieux, Marcy l'Etoile, France).

Results: Significant bacteriuria was found in the urine of 24 of the 102 women tested giving a bacteriuria prevalence of 23.5% in pregnant women of the BHD. Asymptomatic bacteriuria was detected in 8(7.8%) of the women. There was no statistically significant predictor of bacteriuria. Escherichia coli were the most isolated (33%) uropathogens and were 100% sensitive to cefixime, cefoxitin and cephalothin. The nitrite and leucocyte esterase tests for determining bacteriuria had sensitivities of 8%, 20.8% and specificities of 98.7% and 80.8% respectively.

Conclusion: Bacteriuria is frequent in pregnant women in the BHD suggesting the need for routine screening by urine culture. Empiric treatment with cefixime should be instituted until results of urine culture and sensitivity are available. Nitrite and leucocyte esterase tests were not sensitive enough to replace urine culture as screening tests.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: Please note that co-author JA is a PLOS ONE Editorial Board member. This does not alter the authors' adherence to all the PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Uropathogens amongst 24 pregnant women with bacteriuria in Buea, Cameroon.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Antibiotic susceptibility patterns of bacterial isolates from 24 pregnant women with bacteriuria in Buea, Cameroon.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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